Finnish prosecutors have brought charges against a man accused of sexually abusing hundreds of children through social media, a case authorities say spans several years and involves a vast cache of illicit material.
The National Prosecution Authority said the suspected offences took place between 2019 and 2022 and involved 361 victims aged nine to 15.
Police had announced in December that they were investigating the case and suspected a 27-year-old man of 364 sexual offences against children.
On Tuesday, the prosecution authority said prosecutors ultimately chose not to pursue charges in three of the alleged incidents.
Investigators said they first uncovered the scale of the suspected activity in 2022, when officers searched the man’s mobile phone in connection with another criminal case. That examination, police said in December, revealed thousands of videos and images involving unidentified children.
According to police, the man used Snapchat to contact children and urged them to produce and send photos or videos of themselves either scantily dressed or naked.
He also asked them to carry out sexual acts, police said.
Prosecutors listed the main charges as aggravated sexual abuse of children, sexual abuse of children, and aggravated distribution of an image depicting children in a sexual manner.
The man has partly admitted to the offences during the investigation, authorities said.
The Prosecution Authority said the trial is set to begin in September.
